OK, so the Coyotes lost that previous Game 7 to the St. Louis Blues, 1-0 in overtime on May 4, 1999, the only time they've played host to a Game 7 since arriving in the Valley.

It's the thought that counts.

After all, we haven't seen a Game 7 of any kind around here since the 2005-06 Suns had to go the distance twice, beating the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 at US Airways Center to win a first-round series and then going to Game 7 again in the Western Conference semifinals to beat the Clippers here.

Of course, there is no disputing which Game 7 is the most important and memorable in Valley sports history.

That would be Game 7 of the World Series, when Luis Gonzalez sent that flare into the outfield to lift the Diamondbacks to a 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Nov. 4, 2001.

It's kind of tough to top that one. Always will be.

But here are some other Game 7 facts and figures:

• In their only other Game 7 besides 1999, the Coyotes lost on the road to Anaheim to end their inaugural season in the Valley.

• The Suns have played host to a Game 7 six times and have won only three of the six. Two Game 7 losses to the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995 probably cost the team a championship or two.

Come to think of it, their Game 7 loss to Cotton Fitzsimmons' Kansas City Kings in 1981 might have cost them another.

Of course, the Suns beat Seattle in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals in 1993 to reach the NBA Finals against Chicago. Let's not talk about that.

• The Suns have been the visitor on three occasions in a Game 7. They lost to Seattle in Game 7 of the 1979 Western Conference Finals - yet another lost ring because the Sonics then swept Washington in the Finals. They lost to the Lakers in 1970 after leading that series 3-1. And they were victorious in 1976 against Golden State when they knocked off the defending NBA champions en route to the Finals against Boston. Let's not talk about that, either.

• The Diamondbacks have only that one Game 7 in their history. We'd love to talk about that one.

Speaking of Game 7s

The Western Conference playoffs have turned out to be every bit as unpredictable as the regular-season race.

The Suns aren't the only team locked in a knock-down, drag-out knuckle-buster of a series. In fact, every lower seed in the West was leading or tied in its series entering Sunday's games.

The seventh-seeded San Antonio Spurs, despite Manu Ginobili playing with a broken nose that left him looking as if somebody screwed a light bulb onto his face, have a 3-1 lead after Game 4 of their series with second-seeded Dallas.

Short-handed Utah holds a 3-1 series lead over fourth-seeded Denver.

And the Lakers were just blown out in Game 4 by eighth-seeded Oklahoma City and are tied in that series.